The Forgorian's Ledger: Unlocking the Iver Johnson Serial Number Database

Prologue: The Gun in the Attic

In the summer of 1987, a rusty Iver Johnson .38 S&W revolver was found inside a leather satchel in a condemned farmhouse outside of Des Moines, Iowa. The satchel also contained a faded photograph of a young man in a World War I doughboy uniform and a tattered train ticket dated April 12, 1919.

Goforth spent decades cross-referencing factory order books, period catalogs, warranty cards, and surviving physical records. His database is broken down by:

Finding reliable information for an Iver Johnson Revolver Serial Number Database can be a challenge because the company's records were not maintained as centrally as major competitors like Colt or Smith & Wesson. However, by understanding the specific patterns of letter prefixes and physical frame characteristics, you can accurately date most of these "Owl’s Head" revolvers. The "True" Serial Number Location

Best-practice workflow for adding new data

The most critical reason to date your revolver is to know if it's safe to shoot. Early Iver Johnsons were built for Black Powder.

. The most comprehensive data is derived from historical reconstruction, notably by researcher W.E. "Bill" Goforth. Key Serial Number Indicators

Data fields (recommended)